Cool Hunting
The big news from Apple today of course is the hotly-anticipated iPhone that combines a widescreen iPod, a GSM phone and internet connectivity into one device—Steve Jobs calls it, "a revolution of the first order." With over 200 patents on features like a multi-touch user interface and a sensor that automatically switches between landscape and portrait mode, he just might be right. Here are the highlights of the new mobile gadget, available in 4G ($499) and 8G ($599) models exclusively through Apple and their partner Cingular this June 2007 and following in Europe later this year and in Asia in 2008. For blow-by-blow details go to Engadget or Gizmodo.
The multi-touch capabilities inspire the most oohs and aahs by enabling users quickly and easily perform tasks like zooming in Google Maps with a pinch movement or double tapping to increase the size of a webpage. The interface ignores unintended touches, making it far more accurate.
Like the iPod, the iPhone syncs all of your media, (including calendars, bookmarks, music, movies, podcasts, tv, photos, contacts, email, notes, etc.) using a cradle (it has the standard iPod docking port at the bottom) through iTunes.
Running on OS X makes for an overall smooth experience—text messaging is more like iChat, you can scroll through iTunes (it uses Coverflow), and the internet browser is Safari (which can handle having multiple pages open at once and takes advantage of some of the multi-touch features with zoom and widescreen capabilities). Google Maps has satellite imaging and is similarly easy to navigate.
At a thin 11.6mm wide, the phone packs in 2.0 MP camera, a 3.5mm headphone jack, a speaker, mic input, iPod port, a 3.5 inch wide screen with 160 ppi resolution, the highest res screen ever shipped of this size, and only one button, the "home button." Internally the iPhone has Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 2.0.
In addition to the accelerometer that switches between screen modes, the iPhone has a proximity sensor that turns off the display and sound when you bring the phone to your ear and an energy-saving detector that senses ambient light and adjusts the display accordingly.
Key in the partnership with Cingular (they will be the exclusive multi-year partner), the iPhone brings visual voicemail so that users can pick and choose among a list of received voicemails. The onscreen buttons also makes phonecalls a "killer app," as Jobs likes to call it.
|
previous entry AntiBabel EP |
next entry WidgetStation |
More exciting than the new iPods and less frustrating than the iPhone price reduction was the partnership Apple and Starbucks announced yesterday. Buying Starbucks brand music from my iPod / iPhone while waiting for a Cappuccino is nice, but what's inspiring is how the device becomes integrated with the experience in that moment—I want to know what song is playing in the shop so...
Having designed the touch-based user interface that has been on Motorola's 'A' series of multimedia phones in China since 2004, my critique of the iPhone comes from a unique, and overly educated perspective. It's not Apple's vision for the iPhone that I find admirable—there isn't much about it that's truly new—it's their ability to execute. After spending the last ten days with my iPhone...
In the race for best iPhone recording application, there are over a dozen contestants but few finalists. After surveying a handful, we're placing Griffin's iTalk and Zarboo's SpeakEasy in the winner's circle. While neither application is flawless, both get kudos for interface design, ease of use and file tagging. Ever since I lost my digital recorder, I've resorted to using my iPhone for interviews and...
When it goes on sale tomorrow, the T-Mobile G1 will be the very first mobile device to utilize Google's open source operating system, Android. I've been using a G1 for the last couple of weeks and am really impressed—a relief because since the iPhone there really hasn't been a mobile that I've been excited about. While the G1 comes in a nice form-factor with...
You might have noticed the who is johnny X ads here on CH promoting the European launch of the Sony Ericsson Xperia. In addition to a brilliant screen, handy form-factor and sleek design the Xperia offers users a variety of downloadable home screens. These panels, as they're called, are like interactive desktops and allow immediate access to content and functionality. Sony Ericsson offers an...
This morning in London, mobile phone manufacturer HTC unveiled the Touch Diamond, a new Windows Mobile Device that looks great! Yes, I did just say "Windows Mobile" and "great" in the same sentence. Focusing on delivering a killer experience, the device features a highly customized version of Windows Mobile called TouchFLO 3D. All the most important functions are accessible from the home screen using...
Emogayu Ceramics
Box 185 Clothing
Jo Ratcliffe x Edun: War Child T-Shirts
ExIT Shoes
Cool Hunting Guest Curates Etsy
Tumi Vapor: Polycarbonate Travel Bags
Big Shots: Andy Warhol Polaroids
Frank Hülsbömer: The Fiction Of Science
Lama Hourani Jewels
